J&K: Army starts probe into fake killings

Army has begun a probe into allegations of killing of four porters in fake encounters for "gallantary recognition" in Lolab valley in Kashmir in 2004 and asked their family members to report for identification.

The family members would be taken to Kupwara border district in North Kashmir on Wednesday by the army and bodies of those killed in the said encounter would be exhumed for identification before them, defence sources said in Jammu on Wednesday.

DNA tests of the bodies would also be carried out, if required, they added. "We have started probe into it. We have asked a member of each of the porters' families to be ready for journey to Kupwara border district of north Kashmir, where identification of dead militants would take place soon," sources said.

Army authorities had written to the Jammu Deputy Commissioner in this connection and asked him to direct the family members to be ready for the journey to Kupwara in an army convoy on Thursday. The former chief of Northern Command Lieutenant General Hari Prasad had on August 29 ordered the probe into the allegations after the families of the porters received letters purportedly written by a soldier saying that they had been killed in a "staged encounter only for gallantary recognition."

"Anyone found at fault will seriously be dealt with. We will conduct an inquiry as fast as possible. If we find anything against anybody appropriate action would be taken accordingly", he said.